Red Bull launch ‘brave’ and ‘innovative’ RB20 for 2024 season

Red Bull says it has “pushed the boundaries” with the design of its new Formula 1 car, the RB20, as it prepares to defend its position as Formula 1's dominant force for the third year in a row.

The reigning champions revealed their new car on Thursday, six days before pre-season testing, although much of the attention at the launch event was diverted by an ongoing internal investigation into the director of the team, Christian Horner.

Red Bull design chief Adrian Newey has insisted the new car is an evolution of last year's RB19, but a number of visual design changes – including some features reminiscent of the Mercedes of last year – suggest the team continues to find significant gains in its wind. tunnel.

“We can see that rival cars have been influenced by the RB19, and we expect other teams to converge,” Horner said.

“I think the team has done a wonderful job on the RB20, they haven't sat on their laurels and you can see they have pushed the limits with the car. We will only see when we get on track , what is the relative situation. the order is for the start of the season.

“There are also some big innovations on the car which will no doubt be looked at closely over the coming weeks. Creativity has been strong in the team and you can see it in some of the solutions they have come up with. is not a conservative attitude.evolution, there is great innovation on this car.

Unlike the RB19, the new RB20 features vertical side intakes, similar in shape to those of last year's Mercedes W14. However, where Mercedes persisted with their now infamous 'zero-pod' design, Red Bull retained conventional-looking sidepods with deep undercuts.

The RB20 also features a bulge running the length of the engine cover, beneath the car's main Red Bull motif, which was another prominent feature of last year's Mercedes' cooling system.

When reigning champion Max Verstappen was asked if there were any “Mercedes-style” ideas in the RB20's design, the reigning champion said: “I would still call it a Red Bull style, but I know what you mean.”

Verstappen's teammate Sergio Perez added: “It just shows our hunger. We have such a dominant car last year that you wouldn't expect us to change the concept that much. I think it's It's really brave of Red Bull to do this.” “

Asked about the RB20's similarities to recent Mercedes cars, team boss Horner added: “It's not tactical, it's based on performance and what we see through our simulation tools.”

“Obviously the car is visibly different in some areas from last year. Only the clock will tell, but in the virtual world we wouldn't have engaged it in the design if we didn't feel that 'She was better.'

Verstappen, who is aiming for a fourth consecutive drivers' title this year, said he first saw the final designs of the new car at the end of last season.

“I’m quite happy with the direction they’ve chosen,” Verstappen said. “I saw the designs, I think, in Abu Dhabi, at the last race, I thought 'wow, this is quite different in a way.' And they weren't conservative, let's put it that way.

“I think what I like about the team is that we had a great package, but they took the opportunity to really give it their all, I would say, and try to improve it. Of course, the Time will tell if it's really, really good.

“But from what I see within the team, everyone is just happy with what they achieved this winter. But then again, we don't know. We can't control what others did.”

Horner suspects that a repeat of last year's dominance, when Red Bull won every race, will not be possible this year again.

I think setting a goal to win every race would be very difficult. I mean, we achieved 21 out of 22 last year and only Singapore escaped us, so technically we can improve, but logically there goes have convergence with stable regulations.”